[ 2012-08-05 ]

It’s illegal to publicly vet Amissah-Arthur – Chris Ackummey
Lawyer Chris Ackummey has kicked against the
intended public vetting of vice presidential
nominee, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur.

The immediate past Governor of the Bank of Ghana
will be appearing before the Parliament
Appointments Committee tomorrow after President
John Dramani Mahama nominated him to be his
vice-president.

The legal practitioner argues Parliament is acting
contrary to the 1992 Constitution, which states
that the vice-president (who becomes president)
will nominate a vice-president for “approval” when
he assumes office following the death of a sitting
President.

Article 60 (10) of the Constitution states: “The
Vice-President shall, upon assuming office as
President under clause (6) of this article,
nominate a person to the office of Vice-President
subject to approval by Parliament.”

Lawyer Ackummey's argument follows that of a
former Member of Parliament for Akim-Oda, Yaw
Osafo Marfo, who earlier this week expressed his
strong disagreement with Parliament’s decision to
openly vet Mr. Amissah-Arthur.

“After the President comes the Vice-President and
the Speaker, so the Vice-President is higher than
the Speaker,” Mr. Marfo told Citi News.

“I think that the Vice-President cannot go through
a vetting process like a Minister or a Deputy
Minister.”

Mr. Osafo Marfo opined: “In order of precedence,
the Vice-President is higher than the Speaker and
the Speaker is not subject to vetting and
therefore the Vice-President cannot be subject to
public vetting.”

Source - Citifmonline

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